Streetpainting.tv

'BlogNowonSPTV' Twitter Updates

Streetpainting.tv Photo Albums

Caballero Aguila Street PaintingStreet painting photos of 'Caballero Aguila' at Festival Bella Via 08 in Monterrey, Mexico. The street painting was created by the team of Cuong Nguyen, Anthony Cappetto, and Marina Escamilla, as a tribute to Mexican artist Jesus Helguera, who created the original art in 1956.

Artisphere International Arts Festival 2008 Photo Album3-D street painting 'Koi Pond' from Rod Tryon and traditional 2D reproduction of 'Mount Parnassus' by street painting artist Hani Shihada.
The street paintings were created for the Artisphere International Arts festival in Greeenville, South Carolina from April 18th through April 20th , 2008.

That being said, now on to where Blog Now will be going this year in 2012...

Wendy and I wish to apologize to our readers for being quiet during the last part of 2011. We admit that we have been very involved with a series of street painting art projects with our other company, Art for After Hours which has kept us particulary busy. While we were in the midst of these activities, we gave serious thought as to how we wanted to make Blog Now even better and more engaging than we have had before. And this is what we are thinking...

Starting this week, Blog Now on streetpainting.tv is moving to posting daily with posts, discussion, and thoughts about street painting art, festivals, and observed developments which we see as our way of sharing our appreciation and attention relevant to a blog such as ours that is "..for artists, festivals, and fans..."

Watch very soon for Blog Nows posting on the winners at the Festival Bella Via 2011, but also short posts about the many artists who created work for the festival who are the backbone of such exciting international street painting art competitions such as this.

There will also be similar coverage short posts from events that we have attended in Saarasota, FL as well as events coming up this year in the USA, Mexico, and Europe through local reporters on the scene, and of course our level, journalistic coverage of festival directors and industry professionals in all locations.

Pictured above: We noticed this street painting at the Sarasota Chalk Festival and we recalled the life of Toto de Angelis (Straccetto) who left us in 2011. His experience as a Madonnaro in the true sense is an inspiration to every one of us who all who street paint, chalk, screeve anywhere in the world today.

Have a very Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year from Wendy and I at Blog Now on streetpainting.tv.

January 06, 2011

2011 is going to be a time of growing in the world of street painting art with newer festivals become part of the street painting landscape along with a new generation of street painting artists making their mark on the scene.

Blog Now on streetpainting.tv is happy to be reaching out to festival directors, street painting artists, and the growing fan base around the world discovering our 400 year old plus art form in the world of new media and technologies in a partnership - not a competition - with the live viewing experience one can only have by attending a street painting festival in your area, wherever that might be.

As streetpainting.tv, Wendy and I have been so glad to be part of street painting to interview many artists over the years in Monterrey, Mexico at Festival Bella Via and making new friends in street painting at the Sarasota Chalk Festival last October. We are working on interview videos with artists from Monterrey and Sarasota and plan to have even more videos up and running on the websites and online sources of streetpainting.tv. We can be seen on our streetpainting.tv branded site/channels on YouTube, Facebook Fan Page,Twitter, Livestream and plan to spread into the fabric of social networking and mobility to bring street painting art to as many as possible in the ways that work best for our growing base of viewers with a library closing in on 300 videos and counting.

We are supportive of all the new festivals arising in Europe, around the rest of the world, and across the USA. Streetpainting.tv will be happy to bring our unique one on one interviewing (thanks to Wendy) to any interested festivals anywhere who will be glad to have us on the media team.

Of course, we have not forgotten the festivals that have brought street painting to popularity before the advent of our current internet age such as the festivals of California, such as the I Madonnari in Santa Barbara, and the Italian Street Painting Festival by Youth in Arts in San Rafael and the many others in the USA such as the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival in Florida, the Via Colori Festivals, and the many others across the country.

And then there is Italy, where the art of the Madonnari began, the home of the Competition at Grazie which brought Madonnari together from 1972 after it was thought the art form may have begun to fade away. The importance and tradition of the Italian festivals and the longtime Madonnari is clear and in our respect, a special thanks to our fellow street painters from Italy who bring material for posts to us during the year.

Thanks to all, especially our readers for being a part of our blog and video channel in 2010 and we hope to bring as much street painting to you as we can in 2011.

November 30, 2010

Street painter Anthony Cappetto was asked to create a Holiday-themed street painting for the 'Making Merry in Berry Hill' holiday event in Nashville, TN. His 8' x 18' piece took him 2 1/2 days to complete and was the centerpiece of the event! The people of Berry Hill (a section of Nashville) really enjoyed watching him work as well as the finished 3D anamorphic street painting.

Blog Now on Streetpainting.tv wishes all of our readers a very Happy Holiday Season!

July 31, 2009

You may have noticed the video player at the upper left portion of the blog showing streetpainting.tv videos of street painting artists and festival directors continuously playing. This is the new streetpainting.tv: online and video on demand live streaming video player thanks to the people at Livestream.com.

The player offers chat, video on demand, where you can choose what videos to watch, and live broadcasting from remote locations (such as street painting art festivals, events, exhibitions, etc.).

We at Blog Now on streetpainting.tv are very excited about the possibilities to offer street painting festival, events, and exhibitions the ability to have live streams from their events to the streetpainting.tv channel with additional channels under development to share with the street painting fans and attendees around the USA and internationally. With live broadcasting, we are envisioning the environment where street painting festivals, artists, and fans can see programming on aspects and subjects in street painting, such as information, entertainment and open discussion from the casual festival attendees and internet viewers to the international street painting art scene.

Yes, we are seeking interested people and groups who want to bring their street painting art events live on streetpainting.tv and all they have to do is contact us at contact@streetpainting.tv for more information. Nearly all possibilities are open for live broadcasting and we wil be glad to be helpful in the development of these ideas with enterprising groups for interesting projects.

Our live broadcast schedule for the fall is underway and will be released in the near future.

That said, Blog Now on streetpainting.tv strongly encourages our readers to share the streetpainting.tv player, post it on blogs, websites, Facebook, Twitter, everywhere that the many readers of our blog go to and use to help us bring the coming live broadcasting of street painting art to the many people we know enjoy and appreciate the art and people.

As always, if you are a street painting artist, festival director, or are in an organization interested in street painting festivals and activities - Blog Now on streetpainting.tv will be pleased to consider you for an upcoming interview.

March 14, 2009

Blog Now on streetpainting.tv has an exciting post with well-known Australian pavement artist Ulla Taylor. Here's what Ulla had to say about her work and the art form of pavement art or street painting.

Where do you live?

I was born, bred, and currently reside in Melbourne, Australia.

What is your occupation?

“A screever I am, a screever I be” like Bert in Mary Poppins! ..I am a painter whose speciality , passion and primary income is pavement art- street painting.

When and how did you first get interested in street painting?

My mother was an artist, and I drew and painted freely throughout the house and yard… (To her dismay sometimes.. She hated the red marker pen on the white walls!) I remember seeing a street artist in Melbourne as a toddling child in the early 70’s, although my first conscious, personal attempt at pavement art was in1987. It was at the end of my first year of a Fine Art degree, and I competed in a small, local pavement art competition (no longer running). It was a day that changed my life, although I didn’t realise at the time... Tired from our art school break up the night before, and nervous to boot… I nearly turned around to go home many times on that journey. Thankfully I didn’t. I was one of six artists chosen by Melbourne City to participate in a giant, Christmas, chalk drawing. From that I met some older artists who were launching into pavement art, specifically Peter Voice and Bev Isaac. We started working as a group and by 1991 “Chalk Circle” was born at Peter’s instigation. We believe/d we were the first group of internationally touring pavement artists. (Jenny McCracken and Roland Josuttis were also original group members.)

How did you develop your style?

In the “early days” I was pretty stubborn about steering clear of realism.. I loved expressive and abstract work and using raw, spectrum colours. My mum was an abstract, figurative painter. I loved the colours and form of Hundertwasser and Klimt, and contortions of Scheile, for example. My colours are still pretty bright, but my work is much more realistic now- the accessibility of a realist image improves the busking “hat” as a street painter.

Working with other artists, both screevers and other painting or busking colleagues, has also influenced me to some extent. I remember the first time I saw a postcard of Kurt Wenner’s work in the early nineties and was blown away. Although I had no aspirations to such a classic style, that was a first view to really great illusions on the street, and the potential for large commissions. Working on large artworks with other pavement artists and in scenic art, you see interesting techniques and different methods of painting which are inspirational, also. I have always aimed at originality and a contemporary flavour. I often draw wildlife, and particularly endangered species, as that is my interest and passion for the pristine environment coming through to my work, and whilst sometimes the message of my work is just “have a laugh”, more often it is “look at this magical beautiful world around us”.

Is this art form referred to as ‘pavement art’, ‘chalk art’, or ‘screeving’ more so than ‘street painting’ in Australia? Please tell us what you know of the history of street painting in Australia.

“Pavement art” is the predominant term used in Oz (we call our “sidewalk” pavement like the English). Using the word “painting” would have totally freaked out the “authorities”!!! With the massive rise in quality spray can art here in Melbourne, generally called “street art”, the term pavement art is more definitive. Many of us (me especially?) try to promote the word Screever, as it is an older word, and specific to the trade… The word screever is hard to find in dictionaries, but I have found it in a dictionary of colloquial English and various literary references to screevers, (ie, Mary Poppins, and George Orwell.) Chalk art is also a popular term, but generally used by laypersons!

Do you think of this art form as a fine art or more an entertainment performance art or somewhere in the middle?

It is performance art. Firstly it is performance. Many passers by see or talk to me, and the artwork is not fully realized, I am more of a character/ street philosopher / urchin/ just another busker. At the end of the day I say goodbye to the piece and it works away on the street spreading good vibes and sound philosophies.. Good performance and fine art have in common- a sound technique, a message and an aesthetic appeal.

How often do you street paint?

Hmm, well I had a baby last year and didn’t work for a few months. I’m working again but not on the busy schedule I was on in the years prior. Pavement art is my sole income (plus a bit of other painting work). I work hard in the summer, and often travel to double my summer like any other full-time festival worker. My intention, my passion, is to stick with screeving full time as after all this time, as it is the best way to support myself, and bubby. Once she is running around as a toddler (and harder to strap into a pram), and those airfares start kicking in, who knows how I’ll go…but just the thought of not scratching away on the pavement regularly gives me cabin fever..

In what countries have you street painted?

I do mostly festivals, but also some corporate work. Most of the overseas work is at summer fairs or street festivals. I have worked in many cities throughout Australia, New Zealand, England and Canada. I’ve also worked in Germany, Japan, China, and Wales. Hmm, that list doesn’t look quite long enough… I’m hoping to do some work in Europe later in 2009.

Is street painting popular in Australia?

Since the advent of the net, and specifically [Julian] Beever’s successful blitz with amazing 3d images, everyone with net access seems to know about the art form. 20 years ago there were just a handful of screevers (mostly Chalk Circle members and associates), but gradually there are more and more. Most people enjoy it immensely;- very, very extraordinarily I encounter an abnormally irate person who would prefer to look at grey pavement and takeaway food litter… (I think that’s about twice in my work history of over twenty years)

Are there any street painting festivals in Australia? And if so, do you attend them?

We had Streetworks International Pavement Art Festival here in Melbourne (1994-96) which was conceived by Peter Voice, and I had the great experience of managing in 96. Although it started to build into something strong and beautiful, we just couldn’t get the serious funding to make it viable for us to work on all that time (and we couldn’t draw in it, as organizers..). We paid a core of artists a retainer, and there were prizes available to those, and others who worked the fest. The past four years, a pavement art competition “Chalk the Walk”, now called “Chalk Urban Art” runs in Sydney. I’ve attended twice, once as headliner (06), and the next year I had the great pleasure to take out the People’s Choice prize (07). Hopefully Chalk with build and grow over the years. Occasionally small community events/competitions crop up, often for children… (and then they die off in Australia’s harsh climate??!!)

Are street painters able to create art work wherever they want (parks, public streets and sidewalks) or do they have to obtain permits to work in public?

A permit is always necessary, though in some cities there is no permit available.. It is a strange, ironic situation where if a City Council will permit it, art can be produced on public land, but where the city doesn’t permit it, “private” land permission must be gained. In Auckland, indirectly commissioned by the city, I once had to move a drawing “two feet to the right”, as I had impinged on a private property border as described by a grumpy trader on Queen street!!! I felt like I could have probably challenged this in a court, as It was essentially the “queen’s highway” and free for all to walk on, but I’ll save that for when I have my big legal team on board! ;)

Have you seen the popularity of street painting grow since you have been doing it…in Australia and in other parts of the world?

Absolutely, popularity is growing. Aside from the internet as I mentioned earlier, it’s also the fact that digital cameras are now capturing what was a temporary art form and recording it for posterity. Just about everyone has a camera on them at all times in the “developed” world, whereas even just 20 years ago, (ten years ago!) only tourists or pro photographers carried a camera. There has always been pavement art, but by its ephemeral nature, its impact was temporary. That has changed now. A technological blessing for the screever….(and a copyright nightmare….??)

What do you think about 3D street painting versus traditional 2D?

I find I can barely work now without a comment such “Have you seen those 3d pictures on the net…” This can be mildly annoying if people are standing somewhere near your own “3d viewpoint” and just don’t stop and look first.. or until they look in their camera. Certainly the popular expectation nowadays is a bit of the old “3D”…but I would not define my preference by “dimension”…. Years ago with my first dabbles into “3D’ work, it became apparent that the photograph was required for best effect, and a Polaroid camera was considered, to have people donate (more) for the image. I also found that the single viewpoint of a “3d” was limiting from a busking perspective, as you weren’t collecting donations on an image “in the round”. People didn’t “get it” quickly in the “old days”. I think the work of Wenner and Beever is great (mentioned, as the most well known “3D” artists although there are many now). A good illusion is a mark of a great perspective and drafting technique. I use elements of “3D” in my work, but usually the effect is over a smaller space as that is what is available, and I find I get more donations when people are physically closer to you, in an intimate space. I still like some pretty colours and a funny or thoughtful concept as well…

Do you have a favorite subject in your street paintings?

It must be nature.. birds, fish, flowers, trees. Not only because they are fragile and threatened, but it’s exactly what is missing on the gritty concrete of city streets. Usually it’s these images that communicate a sublime feeling that makes people walk away feeling lighter and happier, and that’s my prime objective as a street artist.

What is your favorite street painting you have worked on to date and why is it your favorite?

So many pictures, so many favourites, for so many reasons… My most recent works are generally my favourite, but also, when I have tapped into the ethos of a place effectively. Today I will say it was “Bon Scott, on the highway to heaven, with the whiskey devil and the high-voltage angel”. I drew Bon (the former lead singer of AC/DC, for those not savvy with old Australian heavy metal..) in his home town, Fremantle WA, and where he rests today. That picture really captured the spirit of the place and time, tapping into a very current vibe. The locals were awaiting a sculpture in his honour that year, and masses of tourists with offerings of whiskey visit his gravesite. While drawing it, I met people who gigged with him, knew him, were friends of his mum, were fans.. They were totally enthused. That picture was not my biggest earner, nor my best technically.. it just had a great vibe, and was totally appreciated… some fans even had their wedding photos on it!!!

Do you usually work alone or with other artists?

I usually work on my own. It’s easier, less negotiating, less of dealing with those lovely single-minded painter personalities (which I Do love..) and more personally rewarding.. But I have worked with others, especially in the early years, and it’s great to jam ideas, have support and company, and enables longer working hours and bigger pictures.. Over the years, that includes Peter Voice and Bev Isaac from Chalk Circle, Jenny McCracken, Roland Josuttis (Germany), Jamieson Lawrance, Deb Robinson(UK) and Marc Barnes(NZ) (with varying degrees of working with..). I suppose the favourite group projects were doing the Sidewalk Art Project in New Zealand where Chalk Circle ran intensive workshops with teenagers.. The visual outcomes were amazing, and it seemed we really made a positive impact on all of the workshoppers. Also have loved working at great screeving festivals like Geldern, Streetworks, Massey, and Chalk the Walk, being inspired by other artists.

What do you enjoy most about street painting?

Freedom.. from routine, routine kills me! And I love the self-sufficiency, and the ability to draw what I like.. Uplifting people, lightening their day, encouraging wider perspective of life and an appreciation of the moment… and challenging people’s preconceptions about dirty-fingernailed ladies scratching on the concrete!!

How do you feel about the ephemeral quality of the art form?

I like to remind people nothing is forever, and not everything can be owned…

What is the most difficult aspect of street painting?

Extreme heat is a killer.. I once worked in Western Australia in 47.5 degrees Celsius.. like working in a sauna, that picture was not finished very well!!! Since then, anything over 28 degree Celsius bakes my brain, but can often be avoided. Harder to avoid are chronic substance abusers.. drunks, heroin addicts, or Meth-amphtetamine users.. that always keep you on your toes, or tenterhooks. Some pavements are just really horribly dirty too…

What are your views on pavemnt art or street painting as a contemporary art form?

I love it and I am an addict! Its history is ancient and world-wide, but its current renaissance is technology driven. It is grass-roots. It is publicly supported. It is popular, possibly kitsch, but has the potential to reach out and make people think and feel beyond their bubble as they walk down their desensitized, anonymous metropolitan street.

How do you feel about experimentation with the street painting art form with new methods of artistic collaboration other than the traditional?

I’m up for anything new.. I think that’s why I wanted to do a Masters in Public Art this year, but motherhood was calling… (Besides, I do believe I have just written a thesis right here!) I want to remain flexible, adaptive and open minded as an artist, and that may mean new directions in the future.

January 02, 2009

Happy 2009 and we hope everyone had a wonderful and special Holiday Season, with that said, we are thinking positively and with our unique thoughts and predictions for the year in street painting art for 2009.Of course, these are our some of our thoughts based on what we have seen and done with street painting art from last year and through our experiences before that.Your constructive thoughts are always welcome.

New technologies:

It is pleasantly amazing to get involved with the myriad of new technologies emerging every day.From the mainstream applications such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, to the new concepts and start ups enhancing the online and technology experiences at all levels in our lives.Through Innovative Street Painting Group (the company that Blog Now on Streetpainting.tv is a part of), we have been intently involved with new technologies as we find them to help bring the street painting art form to a new generation of street painting artists, festivals, and fans.And of course, we are not stopping anytime soon; it is our belief that the best thing that can happen to the street painting (chalk art, pavement art, sidewalk art, screeving, etc.) art form is the continual, positive, evolution and development of the art form through new and exciting art styles and the means to convey them to viewers using any and all technologies and methods to reach everyone.

Social media:

We are very aware of the growth of social media and expect it to become interwoven with all aspects of life, and street painting promotion and expression will not be immune.The benefit of course will be the ability for all street painting artists, festivals, and fans to be connect immediately as well as longer term from tweeting to static websites and everything in between.Blog Now on Streetpainting.tv has Twitter Accounts ‘Blog_Now', ‘chalk_art’, and ‘street_painting’ on the public timeline in which all street painting artists, festivals, and their fans can follow and we can follow them to keep street painting art conversations where they are occurring live, informative, and interesting.

Street Painting in the Middle East and South Asia:

Street painting is picking up in interest in this area of the world for events and corporate product launches with many of the international street painters making their appearances.

Street Art:

A growing force in the international art world from the galleries to the streets, although not created in chalk, has interesting works by many creative talents and we at Blog Now on Streetpainting.tv respect their unique and thoughtful works.

Keeping it Human:

Despite all the discussion and developments on the technology side, all of the new technologies, social media, videos, wikis, tagging, and new developments on the way – what needs to be at the forefront for all creative artists, festivals, and fans is that all of this is just one more way to convey the presence of a traditional art form begun in the 16th Century by hardworking, humble people who wished to express themselves to onlookers and make a simple living every day.The street painting art form almost faded away in the 20th century as a result of the Second World War but was brought back by the fine effort of the International Street Painting Festival at Grazie Di Curtatone in 1972, brought to the USA in thestreet painting festival format by Kathy Koury with the I Madonnari Festival in 1987 and expanded further with the work and dedication of Sue and Joe Carlomagno with the Italian Street Painting Festival by Youth in Artscelebrating its 16th year of showcasing this wonderful, positive art form.

Joe & Sue Carlomagno

In the new century, street painting artists and fans can look forward to great things from the Festival Bella Via Street Painting Festivals in Monterrey, Garcia, and Durango, Mexico founded by Rosy Loyola, Maria Elena Quiroga, with the coordination of Rosa Maria Leal Dominquez and their team of hardworking, dedicated people bringing the beauty and camaraderie of the street painting experience to artists and viewers alike since 2004. As Sue and Joe have passed the torch to Laurie Vermont, the Italian Street Painting Festival is continuing its tradition of presenting street painting at its fine level to the tens of thousands of people who stop to see and marvel at the artists from the area, the region, from around the USA, and some from around the world.The majority of street painting festivals make an effort to give back to their communities through arts education in the schools and striving to present art in its most supportive and positive interpretations. We at Blog Now on Streetpainting.tv are proud to annually participate in street painting festivals (Youth in Arts and Festival Bella Via) in which we can street paint and be part of the arts solution, making people feel good, think, and recall their experiences to others to come back again to the festivals every year.

Anthony with street painters from Italy and CA

We know we have not mentioned many fine festivals in the USA and internationally, and we not only salute them all, but welcome all to talk to us about their events, share their videos, their tweets, and above all the human interaction that comes from designing and/or reproducing a work of art, on your hands and knees, for hours or even days on end, with a finished product though temporal in physicality but living on in the memory of artists and viewers alike.Nor have we mentioned the many friends that we have made and the interesting street painters we have interviewed on Blog Now on Streetpainting.tv that have provided depth and candor about street painting transcending just silent pictures in cyberspace.We are happy and grateful that we can be friends and enjoy their company on our street painting experiences.

Street painters and friends from Mexico & CA

We at Blog Now on Streetpainting.tv, our Streetpainting.tv website, our video channels on YouTube, Facebook, and now throughout Web 2.0 offer our user generated videos one on one with hardworking, creative artists expressing their pride in the work that they create as well as being able to be a conduit for festival directors who strive to bring the message of their festivals to the public on or offline.We are proud and grateful to be a part of the street painting art experience.

October 05, 2008

Streetpainting.tv is pleased to provide an interview with Marc Barnes, a street painting artist and illustrator from New Zealand.

Where do you live?Currently, I live in my hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand.

What is your occupation? Freelance Pavement artist/Illustrator and part time Creative Consultant/Designer for an advertising agency.

How did you first get interested in street painting?I was part of the Sidewalk art project way back in 1997, put on by street painting Australian sensei's Chalk Circle.I had a fantastic time so I kept at it.

How many years have you been street painting and how did you develop your style?11 years. My style basically evolved from my illustration style which is influenced by graphic novels, Manga and anime, video games, music, comics, lowbrow underground comic artists. Peter Chung, Joe Sacco, Jim Woodring and Hirohako Araki are some of my favourites.Also Pavement artist Ulla Taylor's work has always been inspiring.

Is this art form referred to as 'pavement art' more so than 'street painting' in New Zealand? It's really not that big in New Zealand so I get to call it whatever I like ;) Just kidding, Yeah Pavement and Chalk art are the most common names for it here. Street Painting goes under many mantels. Screeving is one of my faves.Do you think of this art form as a fine art or more an entertainment performance art or somewhere in the middle?I think it's all of the above. It can be anything you want to be, that's what I love so much about it.Some people might come by and it becomes more about the discussion and interaction than the artwork; sometimes people want to learn and study the technique and some people are moved by it. How often do you street paint? 6 -10 times a year. Mostly commissions, workshops and festivals up and down the country.

In what countries have you street painted?Europe and New Zealand. I'd like to try it in the States and a few other places I've been to. Didn't know the laws in a lot of places and didn't have the guts to stick out my hat and start drawing and busking.

Is street painting popular in New Zealand? People sort of know about it from the internet.But it isn't very popular at all. I'm one of only a handful in the country and the only one left I know that does it professionally.

Are there any street painting festivals in New Zealand? And if so, do you attend them?None sadly. Sidewalk art project was the closest we got, there were about 3 of them, all last century. Are street painters able to create artwork wherever they want or do they have to obtain permits to work in public?Luckily you rock up and draw wherever you like in most cities in New Zealand. The city councils like a bit of a heads up before you start and don't mind if it's not advertising and will wash away. As long as it's pretty they don't have many qualms about it.

Do you have a favourite subject in your street paintings? People I guess. I like creating and sharing a scene that has a some sort story or meaning behind and see how people react. Do you have a favourite artist whose work you like to reproduce? I only do originals, unless by commissions. I always like to leave something unique to the area. Also I don't like the pressure of screwing up one of my favourite pieces ;)What is your favourite street painting you have worked on to date? Hmmmm.... Are 2 ok? It would either be the one of Ryu from the game Street Fighter coming out of the ground or 3rd Eye.

Ryu was drawn for fun as part of an art contest I entered. I've always been a big fan of this character and it was good to be able to do my own version of him.

3rd Eye was great since I was on my first pavement art festival tour with another pavement artist Jeremy Herbet (incredible artist BTW). It was my birthday and I wanted to do something for me so I drew an image inspired by the music of the rock band Tool. It also got some great feedback and encouraged me to explore more as a Street Artist.

Do you usually work alone or with other artists?Sometimes I get to work with Australian artist Lula Taylor. She's incredible and I learn a lot from her every time we do a festival. Our first commission was the world record; I was part of a talented team of chalk artists from the Sidewalk art project in early 2000. We called ourselves C.H.A.W.K (Christchurch. Artists. Without. Kanvas). We did a few more projects for about 3 years ‘till members moved overseas or got normal jobs.

I run workshops and courses from time to time. This is always invigorating as you get to see so many different artists translate their style to the pavement.What do you enjoy most about street painting?Probably the interaction with the public. It's really great to be able to bring art to the masses and discuss what people think about art and life in general. How do you feel about the ephemeral quality of the art form?I have no qualms about it. I just wish I was better a photographer. What is the most difficult aspect of street painting?The weather. But apart from that, planning the 3D stuff. I've just started getting into it the last few years and it's a real challenge. Since everything is distorted you have to really have faith in the process and not just draw what seems to look good from the naked eye.

Have you seen the popularity of street painting grow since you have been doing it…in New Zealand and in other parts of the world? The chain email with all the 3D pieces from the Pavement art masters still pops into my inbox from time to time to remind me how much there still is to learn. A lot of my conversations with the public start with "I've seen the 3D ones on the internet", while they don't realise they are standing right in front of one (not looking at it through a camera from the exact right spot).

But it has done great things for pavement art and has really given it a promotional boost. People understand and appreciate it a lot more than they used to as they have now seen some of the potential of the art form.Some people believe art should only be done for art's sake…what are your thoughts on street painting commissions?I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting paid for commissions or busking for that matter. It's very easy to undersell yourself and feel guilty about being paid for what you enjoy. If you really enjoy and get good feedback for your work, then there's nothing wrong with getting paid for it. I think commissions are just another way to help people take pavement art more seriously as an art form and a talent, building respect for the skill and time involved in this medium.

Are there any street painters in New Zealand whose work you really like (new street painters or established)? There's only me sadly. But Ulla Taylor from Melbourne, Australia has been like a mentor to me. Every time we do a festival or commission I learn something new from her.

What are your views on street painting as a contemporary art form?I think it can be tough since we do share the pavement with the world so we have to always keep that in mind when we express ourselves. I think that doesn't dilute the power of it as an art form since it's right there on the street for everyone to see.

It's always good for people to be exposed to art as it happens and see the raw process of it in this digital age we live in.How do you feel about experimentation with the street painting art form with new methods of artistic collaboration other than the traditional?

Sure, I've never really thought about this. If the opportunity arouse, I'd be all ears.